One of the most difficult problems encountered by fishermen is that of capturing a fish that has been caught on a fishing line and transferring the fish to a boat or the shore. As the fish is pulled from the water on the fishing line, its full weight is applied to the fishing line and the hook or lure. This force, along with the frequently vigorous movements of the fish may release the fish from the hook or lure and lead to loss of the fish. Nets have been developed in the past to enable the fisherman to capture the fish while the fish is adjacent the surface of the water. Such conventional nets typically include an elongated handle attached to a looping frame that defines an opening. A net is attached to the perimeter of the frame and enables the fish to be captured by placing the fishing net beneath the fish and then bringing the net upwards so that the fish passes through the opening defined by the frame and into engagement with the net.
However, such conventional nets have proved to be unsatisfactory in that it is sometimes difficult to maintain the net beneath the fish with one hand while holding the fishing rod and lifting the struggling fish in the other hand. U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,643, entitled "Fishing Net" shows a modified fishing net in which a "U" shaped member is pivotally mounted on the frame of the fishing net at a point directly opposite where the frame is attached to a handle. While stored, the "U" shaped member is disposed subtantially in a plane defined by the frame of the net. During use, the "U" shaped member is rotated and locked in a position perpendicular to the frame so as to distend the net. The fishing line leading to the fish is maneuvered into engagement within the "U" shaped member while the net is inverted and inclined at an angle. As the fishing line is retracted, the fish is drawn upwards into the net, guided by the "U" shaped member. The net is then uprighted with the fish captured in the net.
However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,643, although an improvement over existing fishing net designs still suffers from several inefficiencies and limitations. For instance, the rapid and erratic movement of the fish, the movement of the boat or of the current in the water, and the location of the "U" shaped member at the most remote point of the frame of the fishing net, all require that great care be taken that the net be continuously repositioned or the fishing line will be pulled out of the "U" shaped member. Further, the construction of the fishing net in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,450,643 requires that the net must be correctly inverted and orientated during use, which is an undesirable distraction for the fisherman. Further, the requirement that the "U" shaped member be locked into a perpendicular position during use prevents the net from being used as a standard dip net. None of the conventional fishing nets adequately solve the problems discussed above.